Meet the 2023 CWU commencement student speakers

Every year, Central Washington University selects student speakers to address their peers at each of the three commencement ceremonies.

Interested students submit their planned speech to a selection committee, which then auditions the top candidates.

This year's commencement ceremonies will be Sunday, June 4, in Kent and Saturday, June 10, in Ellensburg (morning and afternoon).

Please join us in welcoming this year's student speakers:

Truc Nguyen, Kent Commencement

Truc Nguyen knew she was bound for the CWU accounting program from the moment she started her college career at Edmonds Community College. The international student from Vietnam received a scholarship from CWU, which spurred her onward in her studies and led to her graduation in fall 2022.

"The most beautiful thing at that time was receiving the international scholarship from CWU," Nguyen said. "It gave me the motivation I needed to continue my studies at CWU and keep achieving at a high level."

After multiple internships, as well as extensive involvement with the Campus Activity Team at CWU-Lynnwood, Nguyen was prepared to face her career head-on, and now works as a tax accountant while studying for her Certified Public Accountant certificate. She plans to use her June 4 speech to inspire her classmates with her own story of hard work and the rewards it brings.

"I want to give my graduating class a message of positive motivation and high hopes for the future," Nguyen said. "I've already experienced some of life after graduation, so I hope to share that experience, and also invite them to reflect on all the hard work and effort that has gotten them this far."

Elisabeth Jenkins, Ellensburg A.M. Commencement

A college campus is an endless buffet of fascinating experiences and opportunities to expand one's horizons. Elisabeth Jenkins has taken this attitude to heart over her years at CWU, taking an active role in Computer Science Club, Cosplay Club, Anime Club, Korean Culture Club, a multitude of club events, and ASCWU.

On top of her extensive club participation, Jenkins majored in computer science, minored in math, Asian Studies and Korean Studies, and was elected Inter-Club Association president for SLICE last year. Jenkins says this diversity in education was everything she'd hoped for in a college experience.

"One of my favorite parts of being at Central is having the ability to take a bunch of different classes in things I'm interested in, and having them count towards my degree," Jenkins said. "I got pretty lucky in that pretty much every gen ed I took, I was actually interested in, and the professors were really good."

Following her graduation, Jenkins plans on traveling to Korea with fellow members of the Korean Culture Club to further apply the language she has spent the last two years learning. Her June 10 speech will center on the Wildcat Way, the standard by which CWU operates in order to maintain a culture of equity and belonging.

"I think the Wildcat Way has some great messages on how to be more inclusive in everyday life, and expand one's horizons," Jenkins said. "It's mostly used for employees, but I think we can all learn from it, so that's where I wanted to focus my speech."

Kian Abdalkhani, P.M. Commencement

The blurred border between campus and community in Ellensburg helps students feel at home while they pursue their studies. Kian Abdalkhani says the accessibility and welcoming nature of CWU and its surroundings played a huge role in making him feel he fit in.

"It's just so cool to have this small-town experience and meet people like him and watch them grow alongside you," Abdalkhani said. "It's made me feel so at home to know people's names and run into friends around town. You really get to know your community in Ellensburg, and you can't say that for a lot of other college towns. I love it, and I'm going to miss it."

Abdalkhani came to CWU on a football scholarship, but eventually found his true calling in accounting, after two years of experimenting with math-intensive majors to find a perfect fit. In the end, it was the enthusiasm of a professor that convinced him he'd chosen the right path.

"A lot of people think accounting is this boring thing, but it really depends on your attitude, and your professors," Abdalkhani said. "I took my first accounting class when I was still an economics major, and it immediately pulled me in, thanks in part to the energy of the professor."

Following graduation, Abdalkhani has a job lined up as an audit associate with KPMG, one of the "Big Four" accounting organizations globally. In his June 10 speech, he hopes to invoke the lessons he learned from CWU faculty during his time here.

"I hope to pass on all the motivation and wisdom I received from my mentors during my time at CWU," he said. "I want to inspire my class to really just go forward and succeed where they want to, and not be afraid to try what they enjoy in life."